Bottle filling equipment



"Jano `14, C. i l BOTTLE FILLING EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 1oV

ATToNEY Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE BOTTLE FILLING EQUIPMENT Carl Zafuta, Arma, Kans.

Application February 10.1934, Serial No. 710,639

3 Claims. (Cl. 226-122) This invention relates to bottle filling equipment and more Vparticularly to an apparatus for lling bottles with beer and like foamy liquids contained in a barrel or similar receptacle.

,The principal objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus whereby bottles may be completely lled without waste of the liquid and loss of its gas content, to provide a simple inexpensive apparatus which is readily applied to a barrel and connected with a bottle, to provide means in conjunction with the filling apparatus for tapping the barrel, and to provide means for simultaneously controlling ow oi liquid from the barrel and delivering foam and air content of the bottle back into the barrel. 1

In `accomplishing these and other objects of Athe invention,-I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

lis a perspective View of a bottle filling apparatus conrectedwith a barrel and in lling relationpwith a bottle. Y p

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the iilling apparatus particularly illustrating its connection "2 5 Awith the barrel and" the ilo'w channelsthrough which foam` and liquid ilows to and" from the barrel respectively.

j Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of thev barrel tapping and bottle filling rod wherethrough the v AV3:0 liquid content of the barrel is deliveredto the bottle and `foam and air are returned to the barrel. A

Figml is a detail sectional View similar to Fig. 2 showing the method of tapping the barrel.

` Fig. 5 is a horizontal section'througn thebarrel fitting on the line 5'-5, Fig. 2.

, Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section through the filling `apparatus on theline 6-6,`Figr. 2.

Fig. 7 is a horizontallsection through the head portion .of the barrel tapping and bottlel lling rod member on the line 'I-`'I, Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

Y I` designates a conventional type'barrel such as` Vemployed. for containing beer or like foamy liquids "and whichis equipped with an ordinaryfPeerless`fltting through which liquid is injected and Withdrawn from the barrel. The fitting 2 is xed in4 an opening 3 in the barrel head I` and provided with a neck 6 having an opening I lnonnally p closed by a plug 8. p

` In order to secure llingand draft connections ,the neck 6 is provided with lateral arcuate shaped ears 9 and I0 extending from opposite diainetrical go sidestl'tuereofpasbest` shown in Figs. 2 5, and

adapted to be engaged by similar ears on the illl or draft connection presently described.

The liquid is usually carried in the barrel under pressure due to the gas contained therein and it is diicult to fill bottles and similar'closed 5 receptacles directly from the barrel because of the foamy characteristic of the liquid when it is released to atmospheric pressure. Y

-As above pointed out, it is an object of th present invention to provide an apparatus Where- 10 by the barrel is tapped to allow iiow of liquid to a bottle and to provide for returning the foam to the barrel so that the bottle may be completely lled with liquid exclusive of foam, as now to be described.

' I2 designates a barrel tapping and bottle lling rod including a cylindrical tube I3 of somewhat smaller diameter than the opening in the neck 6 and having a triangular shaped head I4 connected to the lower end thereof and which is 20 provided with spaced nipples I5 and I6. The interior of the tube is transversely divided by a partition I'I to form spaced longitudinal channels I8 4and I9 communicating with the nipples I5 and I6, respectively. Y q 25 The upper end of the partition terminates short of the upper end 20 of the tube I3 and is curved laterally to connect with the wall of the tube at a point above the port 2I formed in the wall and communicating with the channel I9. l 30 The lower end and side edges of the partition Il are sealingly engaged with the walls of -the tubular portion VI3 and with the side walls of the head I4 soA that the channel I8 is completely closed from the channel I9. 35

The end' 20 of the tubular .portion I3 is providedY with an inlet port22 communicating directly with the interior of the barrel. The side .walls of the tubular portion I3 are also provided with'similar ports 23 communicating with the 40 channel I8 at points within the neck 6.

Slidablymounted on the tube` I3 is a sleeve member 26 having a socket shaped head 21 on l its lower end and having an internal shoulder 28 36 that engages against the end of the neck 5 to prevent leakage ofv liquid through the opening 1.

In order to retain the packing ring 36 in sealing engagement with the neck of the barrel tting, the sleeve member is provided with a ring 31 slidably mounted on the upper end thereof and having an internal socket 38 of suitable diameter to pass over ears 9 and I0 on the neck.

The ring 31 is provided with inwardly extending arcuately shaped ears 39 and ill adapted to pass between the lears Il and II) and to engage therewith when the ring is rotated about the neck of the barrel fitting, thereby anchoring the ring to the barrel fitting and retaining the packing in sealing engagement therewith.

Y The lower side of the ring 31 is provided with a reduced threaded neck III' for receiving an in-Y ternally threaded clamping ring t2 preferably formed of half sections 43 and it that are securedtogether by fastening devices 45 extending through ears 46 on the respective sections, as besft shown in Fig. 6.

n The clamping ring is provided with an inwardly extending ange `fil for engagement between spaced annular collars 43 and 49 on the sleeve member so that when the ring sections are secured togetherk Yabout the sleeve member, the ilange l11 will have limited longitudinal movement on 'the sleeve member, but will be free to rotate thereon when the clamping ring is adjusted to effect compression of the packing ring and to anchor the sleeve member to the barrel fitting, v Connected to the nipples I5 and I6 are flexible hoses 50 and 5I which have their lower ends connectedV to `nipples 52 and 53 respectively of a 'valve 54.

HThe valve 54 includes a housing 55 having spaced channels 56 and 51 intersected by a transfversetapered bore 58. vRotatably mounted in the 'bore 58 is a similarly tapered valve plug 59 having transverse ports 6U and Vv6I adapted to com- `munica-te with Ythe channels 56 and 51 respectively when the valve plug is in one position for A allowing liow through the respective channels, *but whenthe plug is turned in its other vposition fthe ports A60 and 6I jare carried out of registry Vwith the channels and flow is interrupted through the valve. j The plug :59 is provided at its 'l'arger'end with a flat head 62 by which it is rotated, while the .jopposite end is provided with a reduced threaded shank 63 carrying a washer 64 and a nut 65 for drawing the plug tightly within the tapered bore 'to preventleakage when the valve is closed.

The valve housing opposite the'nipples 52 and `Y53 terminates inr a tapered cylindrical neck 66 having-a compressible covering 61 to? sealingly engage within the open neck of a bottle 68' in the manner of va cork.

" 'The channels 52 and 53 continue through the tapered neck portion 66, as shown in Fig. 2, but the channel 56 is continued below the outlet of the channel 51 through a tubular extension '69 thatis preferably formed integrally with the valve yhousing 55and'is of sufiicientlength so that the outlet end 1I) thereof issubstantially'below the Ainlet 1I to theV channel 51. e

Y kThis is an Vimportantrfeature of the invention because it is by the relative spacing of the inlet '1 6 5to the'outlet 1I that I am enabled tocontrol rflo'w'of foam from the bottle'back into the barrel fas Ant'Jvi/'tfo "be described.

"775i-Vv vIn *using an apparatusconstructedV andas- 1 Patent VVis:

sembled as described, the barrel I is preferably suspended by a sling 12 so that the contents of the barrel willl flow by gravity into the bottles.

The sleeve member 26 is then slid downwardly on the tube I3 of the tapping device so that the upper end thereof is below the packing ring 36 as shown in Fig. 4. The ring 31 is then sleeved over the neck of the barrel fitting so that the ears 39 and 40 thereon pass between the ears 9 and i5 and the packing ring engages against the en'd of the barrel fitting.

The ring is then rotated to cause the ears thereen to engage the ears on the barrel tting, after which the threaded clamping ring is adjusted to draw the packing ring 36 tightly against the neck of the barrel fitting to prevent leakage between the tting and the sleeve member.

The tube of the tapping member I2 is then driven upwardly through the sleeve to cause the end thereof to force the plug 8 out of the opening 1 and into the barrel, afterwhich the packing nut 3i is tightened against the packing gland to prevent leakage between the sleeve member and the tubular portion I3.

The stopper shaped neck 66 of the valve is then so that iiow will be continued from the barrel f through the'ports 22 and 23, channel I8, hose connection 5i), channel 56 and tubularextension 'S5 under the static head of fluid carried in the barrel while the air in the bottle will be vented into the barrel through the Vinlet port 1I, channel 51,V hose connection 5I, channel I9 and port 2| to take the place of the liquid vdischarged Vfrom ,the barrel.

Due to the fact that the outlet opening 1I is abovethe opening Til, the vchannel I8 lthus Ybecomesthe flow channel into the bottle, while the channel I 9 becomes the channel for movement of air and foam collecting in the bottle back into `the barrel. f

When the bottle is'coinpletely l1ed,'the valve plug is turned to close the channelsv 56 and 51. The valve tting is then removed from engagement with the bottle and'inserted in Yanotherbottle which is lled inexactly the same manner.

Thebottles may then becapped as in'customary y practice.

The bottle filling apparatus may be retained in connection with `the barrel-so-that bottlesmay be Afilled from time'to time until the-barrel has beenr completely emptied. Thefilling apparatusis -then removed from theA barrel and connected with a filled Ibarrel, asV previously described.

It is apparent that by providing a filling apparatus having two separate flow channels, the bottlesmay be completely filled byV gravity iiow from the barrelwhilethe foamis returned to thebar- Vrel without waste Yof `liquid or any of its gaseous content.V Y y a What I claim and desire to secure byLetters l. In combination with a receptacle containing .afoamabl'e liquidiun'derpressure and having a draftiitting, abottle'filling apparatus including a sleeve member engageable Ywithr theV draft 'tting andhaving sealing means at'its'upperandlower ends, a tapping rod engageable within the sleeve member for removing a bung from the receptacle and extending into the interior of the receptacle having at its upper `end liquid outlet perforations and a fluid inlet opening, the tapping rod being retained in position by the 'sealing means of the sleeve member, a hollow head on the lower end of the tapping rod provided with spaced nipples, a partition connected to the base of the head extending upwardly and terminating short of the perforations and sealing oil.D the opening to divide the tapping rod into liquid outlet and fluid inlet channels, exible tubes connected to the nipples, a valve fitting connected with the tubes, and means on the valve tting insertable within a bottle for filling the bottle and returning foamy iiuid to the receptacle.

2. In combination with a receptacle containing a foamable liquid under pressure and having a draft tting, a bottle lling apparatus including a sleeve member engageable with the draft ntting and having sealing means at its upper and lower ends, a tapping rod engageable within the sleeve member for removing a bung from the receptacle and extending into the interior of the receptacle having at its upper end liquid outlet perforations and a fluid inlet opening, the tapping rod being retained in position by the sealing.

means of the sleeve member, a hollow head on the lower end of thertapping rod provided with spaced nipples, a partition connected to the base bottle stopper connected with the valve fitting and having flow channels communicating through Vsaid valve channels and tubes with the tapping rod channels for owing liquid into a bottle and foamy fluid from the bottle back to the recepf tacle.

3. In combination with a receptacle containing a foamable liquid under pressure and having a draft tting, a bottle lling apparatus including a sleeve member engageable with the draft tting and having sealing means at its upper and lower ends, a tapping rod engageable within the sleeve member for removing a bung from the receptacle and extending into the interior of the receptacle having at 'its upper end liquid outlet perforations and a iiuid inlet opening, the tapping rod beingretained in position by the sealing means of the sleeve member, a hollow head on `the lower end of the tapping rod provided with spaced nipples, a partition connected to the base of the head extending upwardly and terminating short of the perforations and sealing off the openingto divide the tapping rod into liquid outlet and uid inlet channels, flexible tubes connected to the'nipples, a valve fitting connected with the tubes and having flow channels therethrough corresponding to the flow channels of the tapping rod, a bottle stopper connected with the valve fitting and having iiow channels communicating through said valve channels and tubes with the tapping rod channels for flowing liquid into a bottle and foamy iluid from the bottle back to the receptacle, and a tube connected with the stopper and extending into the bottle for extending the liquid flow channel below the other of said channels. l

CARL ZAFUTA.

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